Skipping toy and exerciser with counter means



Dec. 31, 1968 M. SAFFER 3,419,269

SKIPPING TOY AND EXERCISEIR WITH COUNTER MEANS Filed Nov. l, ,1967 Sheetof 2 FIG. 1

INVENTOR. Michael Saffer ATTORNEY Dec. 31, 1968 M. SAFFER 3,419,269

SKIPPING TOY AND EXERCISER WITH COUNTER MEANS Filed Nov 1, 1967 Sheet 2of z FIG.4 FIG.2

l L 24 25 23 17 22 L- 26 L f 36 "1 3? l 18 *1 T v I) L 43 J z "I I III"p I I :TE 45 32 21 6 35 '2 46 34 a4 2O \L 3 a United States Patent3,419,269 SKIPPING TOY AND EXERCISER WITH COUNTER MEANS Michael Salter,135-05 Coolidge Ave., Jamaica, N.Y. 11435 Filed Nov. 1, 1967, Ser. No.679,892 4 Claims. (Cl. 272-74) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A skipping toyand exerciser including a handle adapted to be held in a substantiallyvertical position, with a cord extending from one end of the handle forswinging movement radially in a horizontal plane in response to movementof the handle in a curved path, together with counter means forregistering the number of revolutions of the swinging cord.

Background of the invention A toy device and exerciser is known in theart which permits the user to in effect skip rope using but a singlehand to manipulate the device. Such device comprises a rigid stick witha swivel mounted on one end thereof, to which is attached a radiallyextending flexible cord or the like. Upon moving the upper, handleportion of the stick in a curved path, with a single band, the cord willswing about the handle in a horizontal plane, allowing the user of thedevice to jump over the swinging cord at each revolution thereof, foramusement or exercise.

It would be desirable to count the successive revolutions of theswinging cord to record the number of revolutions before a miss occurs,or to prescribe a program of exercise. Accordingly, an object of thisinvention is to provide an improved skipping toy and exerciser whichincludes counter means operatively connected to the swinging cordthereof to count and record revolutions thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a device of thecharacter described counter means which is compact and of light weight;which is of simple construction including a minimum number of parts;which is economical to manufacture; and is readily assembled with theother components of the device.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in parthereinafter pointed out.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view showingthe skipping toy and exerciser embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the counter means and swivel, withparts broken away;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view, with parts cut away, looking at theleft hand end of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one section of the housing meansfor the counter.

Description of the preferred embodiment As shown in FIG. 1, the skippingtoy and exerciser is generally indicated at 10. The same comprises astick 11 which may be rigid or semirigid, being formed of wood, plasticor the like. The stick 11 has a handle portion 12 at one end thereof andswivel means generally indicated at 13, mounted on the other endthereof. A flexible cord 14 is attached at one end thereof to swivelmeans 13 while a weight in ball form 15 is secured to the other end ofcord 14.

It is understood that in use, the stick 11 is held with one hand in asubstantially vertical position and manipulated to move the same in acurved or part elliptical Patented Dec. 31, 1968 housing portion 16having a socket portion 17 extending from one end thereof for receivingtherein the lower end of stick 11.

Housing 16 is formed of molded plastic and to facilitate manufacture andassembly, comprises symmetrically related, vertically split sections 18,19 which include outer end wall portions 20, 21 respectively havingmeeting vertical edges; side wall portions 22, 23 respectively and flattop wall portions 24, 25. The longitudinal, opposed edges of top wallportions 24, 25 are spaced to form a narrow slot 26, for the purposehereinafter appearing.

A dome member 27 of transparent molded plastic is seated on theperipheral portions of top wall portions 24, 25 and is secured theretoby adhesive or the like. Dome member 27 comprises semicircular side wallportions 28 inclined upwardly and toward each other, being joined bytapered end wall portions 29 which merge with a convexly curved top wall30.

The swivel means 13 takes the form of a right angle member having a longarm 31 and a short arm 32. Arm 31 is disposed on the longitudinal axisof housing 16 and stick 11 with the major portion thereof extendingthrough an opening 33 in the end wall portions 20, 21 into the interiorof said housing 16. Arm 31 is arranged for free rotation and to thisend, longitudinally spaced, molded bearing supports 34 extend from theinner surfaces of side walls 22, 23 of housing 16, together with amolded end bearing support 35, said supports also being vertically splitand matching on assembly of the housing sections 18, 19.

The short arm 32 extends from the outwardly projecting portion of longarm 31, and terminates in an eye portion 36 for securing the cord 14thereto. It will be apparent that as stick 11 is manipulated asdescribed above, cord 14 will swing about said stick 11, causing arm 31of the swivel means to rotate on its longitudinal axis. The rotation ofarm 31 is operative to actuate counter means which includes a circulardisc 37 having gear teeth 38 on the periphery thereof.

Disc 37 is rotatably mounted on a molded short stub shaft portion 39extending horizontally from a molded upright portion 40 integral withtop Wall portion 25 and located centrally at the inner edge thereof.Stub shaft portion 39 is received in an opening 41 formed in a moldedupright portion 42 integral with top wall portion 24 and located inopposed relation to upright portion 40. Each of upright portions 40, 42include upstanding therefrom integrally molded pointed portions 43.

Swivel arm 31 has afiixed thereto a short worm gear portion 45 whichlies between supports 34, with collars 46 afiixed to arm 31 and abuttingsupports 34 to retain said arm against longitudinal movement. Worm gearportion 45 meshes with the gear teeth 38 on disc 37, the lower portionof which projects downwardly through slot 26 into the interior ofhousing 16; and the axial portion thereof being located between uprightportions 40, 42.

It will be apparent that as cord 14 swings about stick 11, as the sameis manipulated as described above, swivel means 13 will rotate and causerotation of the disc 37 which is scaled about the periphery thereof, andincludes indicia 47 which indicate the number of revolutions of the cord14. The disc 37 is readily rotated back to its 0 starting position byturning swivel means 13 through its short arm 32 in the properdirection.

The members forming counter and recording means 15 are of light weightand the complete assembly does not unduly increase the weight of device10 as a whole.

As various changes might be made in the herein disclosed embodiment ofthe invention without departing from the spirit thereof, it isunderstood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemedillustrative and not limiting except as set forth in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A skipping toy and exerciser comprising an elongated member having ahandle portion at one end thereof, swivel means rotatably mounted on theother end of said member, cord means extending from said swivel meansfor swinging movement about said elongated member in response tomovement of said elongated member in a curved path, counter meansmounted on said other end of the elongated member, coacting means onsaid swivel means and said counter means foractuating said counter meansto count and record the number of revolutions of said cord means, andhousing means secured to said other end of the elongated member forcontaining said counter means, said swivel means comprising an anglemember having one arm with a major portion thereof extending throughsaid housing means with its longitudinal axis coincident with thelongitudinal axis of said elongated member and the other arm of saidangle member being located exteriorly of said housing means and beingconnected to said cord means, said counter means including a counterdisc arranged for rotation about an axis transverse to the axis of saidone arm of the angle member, meshing gear means on said disc and saidone arm of the angle member for rotating said disc in response toswinging movement of said cord means, said housing means comprising topwall portions having opposed spaced edges to form a slot therebetween,the lower portion of said disc projecting through said slot into theinterior of said housing.

2. A toy as in claim 1 and further including transparent dome means forenclosing the upper portion of said disc, said dome means includingperipheral lower portions secured to peripheral portions of the topwalls 5 of said housing means.

3. A toy as in claim 2 wherein said top Wall portions of the housinginclude opposed upstanding portions for rotatably mounting said disc,therebetween.

4. A toy as in claim 1 wherein said housing means includes opposed wallportions, means on said opposed wall portions for rotatably mounting theone arm of said swivel means, and said meshing gear means comprisingworm gear means on said one arm of the swivel means, said disc havinggear teeth on the periphery thereof in meshing relation to said wormgear means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 418,608 12/1889 Fowler 235-103512,815 1/1894 Denier 272--75 540,604 6/1895 Weiss 235--103 1,189,3077/1916 Stokes. 1,458,323 6/1923 Burnhaim 235--103 1,505,473 8/1924Klubnick.

1,826,944 10/1931 McGavin 27275 1,975,020 9/1934 Sanford 27257 2,506,8255/1950 Carlson 235-403 2,655,376 10/1953 Hull.

2,777,439 1/ 1957 Tuttle 27268 2,944,817 7/1960 Stiller. 3,110,49311/1963 Thompson.

FOREIGN PATENTS 227,726 10/1909' Germany.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

RICHARD W. DIAZ, 111., Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

